After more than 80 years in business, the Loleta Meat Market may be forced to close, according to owner Pixie Setterlund.

Setterlund said property owner Peter van der Zee, who also co-owns the Loleta Bakery adjacent to the meat market, has presented her with a 60-day notice to vacate.

"There was no notice that this would be coming, they just said they wanted to expand the bakery," she said. "At this point in time, I have no idea what I am going to do."

The news has many in the small community up in arms. As word spread Friday, a number of Setterlund's patrons took to Facebook to express their outrage. An online petition called "Save Loleta Meat Market" had garnered nearly 200 signatures -- some of which are duplicates -- by 4 p.m. Friday.

Loleta resident Becky Davy said a picket will be held Saturday and Sunday at 7 a.m. outside the Loleta Bakery to protest the eviction. Davy said she will be expressing her support for Setterlund and the meat market by no longer frequenting the van der Zee's bakery.

"The sad part for me is that I see this as becoming a great divide in our community," she said. "I don't wish ill on the bakery, but at this point, saving the meat market is my priority."

Van der Zee said while he understands the community's outrage, the decision to ask Setterlund to vacate has been a "moral conflict" he has been struggling with for the better part of the last year.

"I have been trying to find some alternative to asking Pixie to leave, but unfortunately, I just couldn't find one," he said. "Our No. 1 customer complaint is that we are too small. The bakery can't afford to relocate, but it can't be financially viable without expanding."

Van der Zee and his wife opened the Loleta Bakery next to the meat market just under four years ago. At the time, van der Zee said he was just hoping to create a sustainable business.

"I had no idea when we started the business that it would need to expand like this," he said. "The last thing I thought I would be doing would be acting as a part of the dismantling of another business."

Van der Zee said he hopes this incident won't cause Loleta residents to forget the work he has put into the town over the past several years.

"I have been a major force in redeeming downtown Loleta," he said. "I single-handedly stopped the destruction of the creamery building, and I worked with the sheriff's department to clean up the methamphetamine amusement park that was downtown six years ago."

Loleta Chamber President Janice Simmons agreed that van der Zee has contributed a lot to the community.

"He's been very supportive of this town and helping to make the downtown look nicer," she said. "He loves this little town, as we all do."

But Simmons said Setterlund is also a vital member of the community.

"If someone has a problem, they will call Pixie," she said. "She's been here for many, many years, and she just knows everyone. We would hate to see either of them go away."

Simmons said the chamber discussed the eviction at its Thursday meeting.

"It's tough," she said. "Everyone pretty much agrees: We wish the bakery the best, but no one wants to see the meat market go away. We respect and support both businesses."

Setterlund said she is still in shock, but is thinking about combining her business with the Ferndale Meat Co., which her brother owns. Setterlund said she began working at the historic meat market 26 years ago, tying sausage. Eventually she became a full-time employee, and 14 years ago, she took over the business.

"It's just so sad for me to see a business that's been here, in this building, have to leave after so long," she said.